Kotebe University of Education (KUE) is the leading education higher education institution having a long history spanning over 65 years, with its roots dating back to 1959 in Ethiopia.
While addressing the MoU signing ceremony, Dr. Kebede Worku, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AfC-ECD, emphasized that the partnership will prioritize professional development and capacity building. “We will organize joint training programs, workshops, conferences, and seminars aimed at strengthening the capacity of teacher educators, teachers, school leaders, and other education stakeholders in Early Childhood Development and Education through innovative and inclusive pedagogical approaches,” he said.
Dr. Kebede further noted “Working on children is working for the holistic wellbeing of a nation”, adding that that the collaboration will focus on policy advocacy and knowledge sharing by promoting best practices, research findings, and accessible models of play-based education to inform national education policy and contribute to systemic improvements in Ethiopia’s education landscape.
Another key objective of the MoU is to bridge theory and practice. The partnership will create structured opportunities for student-teachers and practitioners to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world educational settings through internships, demonstration schools, and field-based projects grounded in play-based learning approaches.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Tewodros Mulugeta, Vice President for Research and Community Engagement at KUE, highlighted the importance of clear governance and accountability in the partnership. He stated that both institutions will maintain transparent communication regarding opportunities, uncertainties, and challenges as they arise. For broader collaboration, KUE and AfC-ECD will define clear roles and responsibilities for managing initiatives emerging from the MoU.
In addition to the non-binding MoU, the two institutions will develop project-specific contractual agreements for activities implemented under the partnership framework. Regular quarterly check-in meetings between designated focal persons will be held to review progress and explore emerging opportunities for collaboration.
The partners also agreed to do annual review on the set goals and proposed activities, assess progress and key outcomes achieved, and identify measures to strengthen and sustain the collaboration in the years ahead.
